Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Tony Juniper - Green Party Candidate

Excellent news from Cambridge:

Tony Juniper selected as Green Party General Election candidate for Cambridge

Radiohead star Thom Yorke backs Juniper to be "a great Green Party MP"

The Green Party today announces that Tony Juniper, recent Director of Friends of the Earth, has been selected as General Election candidate for Cambridge. There will be a press launch at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, starting at 11.30am Wednesday 21st January (please see below for further details).

Tony Juniper has lived in the city for 20 years and has campaigned on green issues for more than 25 years. As Campaigns Director and later Director of Friends of the Earth he led many successful initiatives on a wide range of issues from wildlife protection to organic food and from recycling to fuel poverty. He stepped down from leading Friends of the Earth in July 2008 following the success of the Big Ask campaign which led to the world’s first national legislation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions - the 2008 Climate Change Act.

Tony Juniper said

“More and more people can see that if we want a sound economy, a fair society and a secure environment, then we need to make important changes. The Green Party is alone in having a manifesto which shows how these changes can be made through due democratic process while at the same time reducing global inequality. The current economic downturn offers great opportunities to put forward the Green agenda.

I have spent many years influencing politics through campaigning and realise the crucial importance of entering the parliamentary arena. Not only have I seen at first-hand what needs to be done, but I have already spearheaded initiatives that changed legislation through enlisting the support of tens of thousands of citizens.

The incredible research and technology capacity we already have here in Cambridge can be used to help build a truly green economy. This is already beginning to happen in other countries and we are lagging behind. I want to ensure that Cambridge is at the forefront of this new global green revolution. By electing one of the UK’s first Green MPs, Cambridge can be certain of playing its part.”

Juniper’s selection has been welcomed by Thom Yorke, the lead singer of Radiohead, who worked with him from 2005 to secure the world’s first national law on climate change.

Thom Yorke said

"Tony Juniper has amazing energy and enthusiasm which inspires those around him, including me. He speaks a language that even I can understand when it comes to green issues and I have spent many evenings learning more from him than I can ever learn from books. Most importantly he has a keen understanding of how to change our political future from the inside without compromise, and has accumulated the most breathtaking amount of experience as head of Friends of the Earth UK. He would make a great Green Party MP, our country need people like him as the environment becomes central to UK politics."

Cambridge's Green Party City Councillor, Margaret Wright said,

“ I am delighted that Tony Juniper has been selected. He has all the qualities needed to make an excellent MP for the city.”

Dr. Rupert Read, Lead Green Party European Election Candidate in Eastern Region added

"With Margaret's election in 2008, Cambridge gained its first Green Councillor and the city now looks set for further growth of the Green Party. I am delighted to welcome Tony Juniper to our candidate list, here in East Anglia, and I am hugely encouraged by the prospect of voters in Cambridge being able to vote for Tony to be their representative in Westminster, where his abilities and great experience so clearly belong."